Got Common Core questions? Here’s where to send them

I got a call from Rep. Steven Harris, R-Meridian, this week, gently pointing out that we had put him in the support column for Idaho Core Standards in a story I wrote last month, when he really considered himself undecided.

Record corrected.

Harris has heard a lot of complaints about Common Core, a set of education standards for what students should know that has been adopted by 45 states. One of his concerns was that in the pre-Common Core days, states could watch each other as they improved ed standards and look for things that might work at home. Now, with everyone pushing for the same standards, that could be lost.

Harris and other members of the House and Senate education committee will delve into Common Core in more detail over the next few weeks.

Chairmen of the committees will hold a Common Core forum at 3 p.m. Jan 22 in the Lincoln Auditorium in the Senate West Wing (WW02) of the State Capitol.

“In an effort to be transparent, we want to allow the public to share questions and concerns regarding Idaho Common Core,” said Sen. John Goedde, Senate Education committee chairman.

People are asked to submit questions that can be researched before the meeting.

Questions can be emailed or sent to the House Education secretary; deadline is 5 p.m. Jan.17. E-mail questions to hedu@house.idaho.gov; mail to EW49, Routing Code 38, State Capitol, Boise, ID 83720-0038.

No questions will be taken at the forum.

On the day of the forum, a group of panelists will be on hand to answer the questions.